1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method adapted for removing fine particles from a portable camera module. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for shielding and removing fine particles generated when fabricating a portable camera module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, portable communication devices are appliances that permit a user to engage in wireless communication with other users. Such portable communication devices include HHP, CT-2 cellular phones, digital phones, PCS phones and PDA, which are classified into various types depending on external appearances thereof. For instance, wireless terminals are classified into bar-type, flip-type or folder-type wireless terminals depending on the external appearance thereof.
In addition, in order to achieve wireless communications that include images, a conventional portable communication device includes a camera lens module having a camera lens, so that a user can transmit an image to/from other users, or use the device as a camera, by photographing objects through the camera lens module.
Recently, flip-type terminals or folder-type terminals are mainly used as portable communication devices for at least one of voice communication or visual communication (images). That is, in addition to voice and character transmission functions, the portable communication device has been changed into a high-functional composite appliance equipped with a camera capable of photographing, storing and transmitting an image or a series of images. However, although an image from the camera module is advanced into a mega-pixel image for storage and/or transmission, there are several problems in fabricating the camera module.
The main problem is how to treat fine particles that are attached to an image sensor and an infrared ray filter lens of the camera module of the communications device. There is a particular problem regarding fine particles that attach to an upper surface of an infrared ray filter during a camera module fabricating process. In other words, the infrared ray filter has a structure allowing fine particles to be attached thereto, particularly during construction. An exemplary image sensor is a CMOS image sensor 1 shown in FIG. 1. The CMOS image sensor 1 is a switch-type device capable of sequentially detecting outputs using MOS transistors, which are fabricated corresponding to the number of pixels through a CMOS technique utilizing a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as peripheral circuits. The CMOS sensor 1 is operated at low power consumption levels, so it is adaptable for a personal portable device, such as a portable cellular phone, that is limited in available power.
Hereinafter, a process for fabricating the CMOS image sensor 1 and an infrared ray filter 2 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the infrared ray filter 2 is mechanically processed in a COF (chip on film) process. Subsequent to the mechanical processing, a surface protective tape 3 is attached to the infrared ray filter 2 using a tape attaching/detaching device (not shown) in order to prevent fine particles from being attached to the infrared ray filter 2.
The surface protective tape 3 is detached from the infrared ray filter 2 by means of the tape attaching/detaching device when performing a holder attaching process. Then, adhesive is applied to a contact surface of the infrared ray filter 2 and a contact surface of Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) 4 provided at an upper portion thereof with a connector 5 in order to attach the FPCB 4 to an upper portion of the infrared ray filter 2. As shown in FIG. 2, after bonding the contact surface of the infrared ray filter 2 to the contact surface of the FPCB 4, a holder 6 is attached to the contact surface of the FPCB 4 in such a manner that the infrared ray filter 2 is arranged within the holder 6. Then, a primary heat-treatment process is carried out in an oven (not shown) with a high temperature.
Subsequent to the primary heat-treatment process, as shown in FIG. 3, after attaching the image sensor 1 to a lower portion of the FPCB 4, an under filling work is carried out with respect to both lateral portions of the image sensor 1 in order to prevent the image sensor 1 from being separated from the FPCB 4. In this state, a secondary heat-treatment process is carried out in the oven with a high temperature. Then, fine particles 7 detected by the image sensor 1 are inspected through a monitor (not shown) of a test tool kit. In other words, before the holder 6 attaching work is carried out, the surface protective tape 3 is attached to the infrared ray filter 2 so as to prevent fine particles 7 from being attached to the infrared ray filter 2 (as shown in FIG. 1).
However, according to the conventional method of construction, it is necessary to separate the surface protective tape 3 from the infrared ray filter 2 when performing the holder attaching process of holder 6. Accordingly, the infrared ray filter 2 is exposed to an atmosphere when performing a banding work during the holder attaching process and when performing the heat-treatment process. In addition, it is required to perform the under filling and mechanical processing works with respect to the lateral portion of the image sensor in order to protect the image sensor. Fine particles (5–10 um) are introduced into the image sensor 1 and the infrared ray filter 2 from the atmosphere while the above processes are being carried out, thereby lowering the quality of images received by the camera module.